


Sick Day

by TheWorldIsYou13



Category: Take That (Band)
Genre: Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-07
Updated: 2016-03-07
Packaged: 2018-05-25 09:29:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,738
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6189151
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheWorldIsYou13/pseuds/TheWorldIsYou13
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mark's ill but goes to the studio nonetheless<br/>(not a very good summary. Fluffy willowen at the end. Tried to keep it friendship based... and nearly failed)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sick Day

He didn’t get ill very often but when he was, he really felt whatever had hit him.

Today, unfortunately, was one of those times.

Groaning as he heavily rolled onto his side, lifting a heavy arm and flopping it down on the alarm to shut constant, merciless beeping up, Mark realised just how shit he felt. He had gathered that he wasn’t going to be feeling one hundred percent when he struggled to get a decent night’s sleep, but he hadn’t expected to feel this bad when he finally awoke from the little sleep he had managed to gain. His head felt like it was splitting in two and every limb and joint in his body felt weak and heavy. It felt like a hangover after a long night out, only ten times worse. He knew he had to get up, though; he was due in the studio in two hours and considering how much shit he had put his friends through recently, having been in rehab and all, Mark didn’t feel it was fair on them if he missed another day.

Obviously, this is a completely irrational thing to think and Mark’s rational part of his brain was screaming at him to just call one of them and let them know he wasn’t feeling at all well enough to even get out of bed.

But Mark being Mark he attempted to get out of bed, falling back on the mattress at least twice before managing to stand up unsteadily before slowly making his way towards the bathroom, picking clothes as he went.

Maybe a shower would make him feel a bit better.

It didn’t.

Wanting nothing more than to go back to bed, Mark carried on getting ready, cleverly avoiding anything to do with breakfast in case he threw it back up on the journey to the studio.

He was so tired and felt like shit, but he didn’t let that stop him from starting the engine of his car.

As his car jolted before it moved off, Mark felt his stomach lurch and he thought for a moment whether he might land up being sick right there and then. Thankfully, he managed to keep anything that was in his stomach where it belonged and the car soon moved smoothly down the road.

The journey wasn’t exactly the longest one in all of human motor journeys, but it was more than long enough when you felt as though you could fall asleep at the wheel and felt like doing no more than 30 – maybe 40 – miles per hour all the way there.

…

How he managed to get there without causing a major accident, falling asleep at the wheel, throwing up or a mixture of all three was anybody’s guess, but he did and had only managed to piss off a handful of other motor users on the way. So far so good. He wasn’t feeling any better at all – in fact, it was probably safe to say that he felt worse – but he was here now and he couldn’t turn back. Not when he saw the figure of Howard at the window waving at him.

Trying to act as if he felt fine, Mark wave back and tried to give a convincing smile. He wasn’t sure how convincing he had managed to be, but he figured Howard was too far up to see the dark circles around his eyes.

Shit, Mark thought, should have remembered to pick up my hat when I left this morning.

He struggled up the stairs, holding on to the rail as tightly as he possibly could. Eventually he made it up without falling backwards and almost threw himself at the door, opening it, once he was at the floor he wanted.

“Hi guys,” he croaked. He hadn’t spoken at all that morning and immediately realised that he sounded God-damn awful.

It was almost movie-like the way his friends turned to look at them. All four of them, simultaneously, turned to face Mark with the exact same look of concern written all over each of their faces.

“Holy… Mark are you alright?” Gary asked, his voice full of concern for his friend.

“I’m fine, don’t worry about me.” Mark said, somewhat unconvincingly.

“You are not fine.” Jason said, moving in closer to inspect his friend more closely. “Why didn’t you just call in?”

Mark just shrugged and went over to the sofa, sitting down on it and groaning quietly, putting a hand on his pounding head.

“Please tell me you didn’t drive in.” Howard said, already knowing the answer, but praying that he was wrong.

Mark said nothing and that was all the answer Howard needed.

Robbie walked over to and sat on the sofa next to him. Mark lent back and groaned again. He really wasn’t feeling very well.

“Marky, why don’t you go home, mate?” Robbie said. “You shouldn’t be here.”

“I didn’t want to take any more time off.” Mark mumbled, but Robbie heard him loud enough. “I need to be here.”

“You’re so stubborn, you know that, right?” Gary said, sitting down on the other side of Mark on the sofa. Mark just gave a small laugh, but it hurt his stomach doing so and he groaned once more leaning on Robbie and wrapping an arm around his aching stomach.

Robbie put an arm around his friend, bringing him closer. He sighed down at his friend who had closed his eyes and was slowly slipping into sleep. Not really knowing what to do now his friend was fast asleep on his shoulder, Robbie looked across at Gary who just shrugged his shoulders before looking over at Howard and Jason who were fiddling around with some papers on the table in front of them.

“Rob just let him sleep for now. He might feel a bit better when he wakes up.” Jason told him. Robbie nodded and gently stroked Mark’s hair.

Gary stood up and gently took hold of Mark’s legs; pulling them up on the sofa and gently as he could.

At the same time, Robbie slowly stood up and let Mark rest flat on the sofa before walking over to the coat pegs and taking his coat off its peg before walking back to the sofa.

Standing over Mark, Robbie draped the coat over the small frame of his sick friend, giving a small smile as Mark hugged the coat to himself. A small frown made its way across Mark’s face and Robbie bent down in front of him, putting the back of his head on Mark’s forehead; he was too hot.

“Rob,” Howard called from the other side of the room. “Leave him alone for a bit; let him sleep. We’ll see how he is when he wakes up.”

Robbie nodded and reluctantly left his friend’s side, running his hand through Mark’s hair once before walking towards the other three who were now sat in the smaller side room of the studio.

None of them did much while they waited for Mark to wake up. There wasn’t much they could do without him and, anyway, they were too worried that they would wake him prematurely if they made too much noise.

And so they just sat there talking.

…

Mark moaned in pain as he came out of his sleep. His head didn’t feel any better at all and his hurt so much he thought he was puke if he moved even an inch.

Forgetting where he was, Mark curled up on the sofa, wrapping his arms around his stomach and whimpered. It wasn’t long before he felt arms around him, quietly asking if he was alright.

“Marky, you okay?” He heard Robbie ask.

“I don’t feel very well.” Was all Mark said before he shot up and ran out of the room.

Robbie knew where he was heading and so followed him. He didn’t have to go very far before he found Mark barely outside the door to the bathroom, on the floor, retching as he emptied the contents of his stomach. He had obviously tripped in his haste and being unsteady on his feet anyway didn't help, or he had just not been fortunate enough to have made the toilet in time.

Immediately dropping beside him, Robbie put his arms around Mark, doing his best to comfort him. He called out for the others to come and help and there were there in a heartbeat.

In the short time it took for the three of them to get there, Mark had stopped heaving and had buried his head in Robbie’s chest, crying. He felt so ashamed of having been ill in front of his friends and the embarrassment only made him cry harder.

Robbie did his best to calm him down, but he wasn’t getting far, it seemed.

“Mark, it’s alright mate.” Robbie rubbed Mark’s arm, still trying to calm him down.

“Rob, take Mark and get him cleaned up, we’ll sort things out here.” Jason said. Robbie nodded and tried to help Mark to stand up.

“Come on, Marky let’s go get you cleaned up.”

Mark said nothing as Robbie pulled him up and led him towards the bathroom. He was incredibly shaky and tired and he was so close to just falling asleep on Robbie’s shoulder as the two of them walked the short distance.

Once inside, Robbie ran the tap after sitting Mark down on the closed toilet seat before helping his friend clear as much vomit as he could from his mouth and clothing.

Mark tried to protest, hating the fact that he was being treated like a child, but could only muster enough energy to flap is arms about, achieving nothing.

“I think it’s time we got you home.” Robbie told him, looking right at Mark who had his head down, doing his upmost to avoid any eye contact. “Come on,” Robbie helped Mark to stand, wrapping his arm around his waist to steady him.

It wasn’t easy getting Mark back into the main studio. His friend was slowly falling asleep in his hold, making him feel like dead weight as Robbie half dragged Mark towards where the others were now sat.

“I’m taking Mark home cos there’s no way he’s staying here feeling like he is.” Robbie announced.

“You taking him back in your car?” Howard asked.

“Gonna have to, I think.”

“What about Mark’s?”

“Jus’ leave i’” Mark said weakly.

“You sure?” Gary asked and Mark just nodded but the effort made him feel dizzy and so he lent on Robbie to steady himself.

“Alright, we’ll sort something out.” Jason said. “Just get him home, Rob.”

Robbie nodded and Gary passed Robbie his coat before he led Mark out of the door, leaving the other three in the studio.

…

Helping Mark climb into the passenger seat of his car, Robbie quickly got round to the driver’s side and turned on the engine as quickly as he could.

Before he set off, he looked at Mark who was already half asleep against the window. He couldn’t understand why Mark had been so stupid and decided to come in today. He was a stubborn bastard at times and, sometimes, not the most sensible of bastards either. Still, Robbie didn’t think he would change him for the world.

The drive back was silent. Mark slept the whole way through and Robbie daren’t turn the radio on in case he him. Every now and then, he would glance over at Mark, just making sure that he was okay and that he hadn’t woken up and started feeling ill again. He knew he was going to have to wake him to get him out of the car once they got back to Mark’s; there was no way he was going to avoid that, not with Mark leaning against the window the way he was.

…

Pulling up on Mark’s driveway, Robbie brought the car to a stop before looking over at Mark who was still fast asleep. He still looked pale and ill and Robbie didn’t want to wake him, but the best thing for him right now was to get into bed and sleep. At least that way Robbie would know he was comfortable.

Shaking his shoulder gently, Robbie watched as Mark stirred awake. He looked at Robbie through tired eyes and Robbie just smiled back at him sympathetically.

“You okay?” Mark just shrugged.

“Come on, let’s get you into bed.”

“Coming on to me there, Rob?” Mark joked as Robbie opened the door and helped Mark out, going red in the face when he realised what it was he had said.

“You wish,” was his comical reply, though he was still embarrassed by what he had said. Mark however seemed unaffected. Maybe he was just too ill for this.

As quickly and as carefully as he could, Robbie got Mark upstairs and into his room. He let Mark sit on the bed before grabbing some clean pyjamas out of one of Mark’s draw and throwing his old pair into the wash basket in the corner of the room.

He then preceded to help Mark get dressed; a feat in itself when dealing with someone who just wanted to curl up and go to sleep.

He pulled off Mark’s boots to start with before pulling off Mark’s shirt, his fingers grazing against Mark’s clammy skin. Mark shivered at his touch, but didn’t say anything.

Eventually, Mark was in his new set of pyjamas, lying down on his bed facing Robbie as his friend pulled up the duvet over his shoulders.

Sitting in the space next to him, Robbie moved Mark’s floppy fringe out of his eyes with his fingers, feeling once again for Mark’s temperature. He hadn’t cooled by much, but it seemed puking the contents of his stomach in the studio had helped him somewhat.

“You alright?” Robbie asked. Mark nodded and gave a small smile.

“Head still aches like mad and my stomach’s not much better.” Mark replied.

“You eaten anything all day?” Mark shook his head. “Maybe you should try.”

“No, I’ll just throw it back up. Could I have some water, though, please? My throat feels dry.”

“Sure, I’ll be back up in a moment.”

Robbie left the room and came back up about a minute later holding a glass of water in his hand. He placed it on the bedside table next to Mark’s alarm clock before helping him to sit up, passing the water to him once he was upright.

A couple of sips later, Mark passed the water back to Robbie before lying back down. Robbie placed the glass back on the side table before helping make sure his friend was comfortable.

“Right, I’m going to head off now.” Robbie said. “Try and get some sleep, okay?” He made to stand up, but Mark put a hand on his, stopping him.

“Can’t you stay? I don’t really want to be on my own.”

Looking at him, Robbie sat back down on the bed and smiled at Mark.

“You sure?” Mark just nodded. “Alright, I’ll be downstairs if you need me.” He made to stand up again, but once again he was stopped by Mark’s hand on his.

“You really don’t want me to go, do you?”

“I want you to stay as in _stay_.” There was a pleading in Mark’s tired voice which Robbie had often found to be a weakness of his. In fact, Mark was just one big weakness for him and anyway, who could resist those bright blue eyes? Certainly not him.

“Alright,” Robbie went round the other side of the bed, taking off his shoes and jumper before lying down, underneath the covers, moving closer towards Mark who had slowly turned to face him. “Better?”

Mark nodded before doing his best to snuggle up to Robbie, feeling Robbie pull the cover up over him again before wrapping his arm around his small frame.

“Better,” he replied shortly after and Robbie couldn’t help but smile.

“Go to sleep now, Marky.” Robbie said pressing a kiss to the top of Mark’s head and rubbing his arm affectionately. “I’ll be here when you wake up.”

Mark moved in as close as he could get as his eyelids started to droop. It wasn’t long before he felt another of Robbie’s kisses on the top of his head before falling asleep in the arms of his best friend.

**Author's Note:**

> Now this was originally intended as a one-shot, but I could continue it to make it longer and explore Mark and Rob's relationship. I'm not sure, but I've left it open. Any ideas then let me know! :D


End file.
